washbubn



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

T. W. WASHBURN. CONVERTIBLE CHAIR.

Patented Dec. 23, 1890.

(No ModeL) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2. T. W. WASH'BURN.

CONVERTIBLE CHAIR. No. 443,128. Patented Dec. 28, 1890.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIC THEODORE \V. )VASHBURN, OF BALDWINSVILLE, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO GILMAN )VAITE, OF SAME PLACE.

CONVERTIBLE CHAIR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 443,128, dated December 23, 1890.

Application filed April 13, 1889. Serial No. 307,180. (No model.)

To ail whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, THEODORE WV. \VASH- BURN, of Baldwinsville, in the county of Worcester and State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improved Convertible Chair, of

which the following is a specification, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly in section, of a chairembodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation. Fig. 3 is a section on line 3 8 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a side view, partlyin section, and Fig. 5 is a front view, of my chair when used as a low chair or carriage.

r5 The main feature of my invention consists in the combination of a supporting-frame and a chair-frame by means of two sets of links, which operate on the familiar principle of the links in a parallel ruler and which in one position so connect the supporting-frame and the chair-frame as to make a high chair and in the other position as to make a low chair or carriage, the parts being arranged and operating as more particularly pointed out here- 2 5 inafter.

This part of my invention is best embodied by means of the supporting-frame A (which is composed of the two side frames and crossrounds, as will be well understood by all skilled 0 in the art) and the chair-frame B, connected by the links a a a a These links when in position to serve as prolongations of the legs I) of the chair-frame B, as in Figs. 1 and 2, make the contrivance a high chair, but when 3 5 folded, asin Figs. 4c and 5, make it alow chair.

It will be obvious that the chair-frame B should belocked in its two positions, and also that a great variety of devices may be used for this purpose. Of all those that I have 40 contemplated, the simplest and best on the whole is the spring-piece D, which engages with a cross-round b of the chair-frame B (see Fig. 4) when the chair-frame B is in its lowest position and with a cross-round f of frame F (see Fig. 2) when the chair-frame is in its highest position. Cross-round fis provided with a projection 1, which enters a socket 2 in spring-piece D when the chairframe is in its highest position, and crossround b is provided with a projection 3', which enters a socket 4. in spring-piece D when the frame is in its lowest position, and this keeps the spring-piece in engagement with the crossrounds referred to, as will be plain withoutv further description. This spring-piece D is conveniently supported by the oross-pieoe d, which is journaled in the rounds d, (see Fig.

3,) and is readily actuatedby the foot-knob (P.

The operation of a chair embodying my i11- vention is as follows: When the chair is-a high chair, as in Figs. 1 and 2, and is to be converted into a low chair, pressure upon the foot-knob d depresses the spring-piece D and releases the frame F from spring-piece D, allowing the lower end of the frame F to swing up upon its fulcrum f, which allows the upper end of frame F to swing down with chairframe B, which is guided by the links aa a a as the chair-frame moves forward and down until the projection 3 upon the round I) en- 7o ters the socket 4 in the spring-piece D, as shown in Fig. 4:. When the chair is a low chair or carriage, as in Figs. 4 and 5, and is to be converted into a high chair, as in Figs. 1 and 2, pressure upon the knob d releases the spring-piece D from the round I) and allows the outer end of the frame F to be moved downward on its fulcrum f, thereby swinging the chair-frame B upward and partly outward on the links a Ct a a until the projection 1 on the round f of frame F engages with the rear socket 2 on spring-piece D and the parts are locked in position for a high chair,

as shown in Fig. 2.

It is customary to use a table G with convertible chairs, and Ishow atable which consists in the combination, with the table G, of the hooked levers g g, which are connected together by the cross-piece 9 This crosspiece 9 is thrown away from the under side of the table G by suitable springs 5, (see Figs.

2 and 5,) and the whole device is a double spring-latch,which engages with hooks formed on the ends of the arm-pieces of the chair, as clearly shown in Fig. 1. .Vhen the table is thrown forward, it hangs down in frontof the chair and would strike the floor when the chair is a low chair or carriage were it not for the levers II, which are pivoted to the front legs of the chair B at 6, and are thrown out by the swing of the links a a as the chair is lowered and support the bail g of the table G, as shown in Fig. 4. The links aa Fig. 4, engage the ears h on the levers II to throw them out to support the bail and engage the ears h to throw back the levers II when the chair is a high chair, as in Figs. 1 and 2, the link a operating one of the levers II and link a the other. The link a, while moving from the position shown in Fig. 1 to the position shown in Fig. 4, makes nearly a half-revolution, and in its movement engages the ear 7?, the link a making a corresponding revolution on its fulcrum. \Vhen the links are moved back from the position shown in Fig. at to the position shown in Fig.1, the links a a engage the cars 71' and throw the levers II back.

I am aware of the patents to Longer, No. 204,316, of 1878; Odell, No. 313,881, of 1885, and Ilolden,No. 331,748, of 1885, and disclaim all that is shown in them, for in two of them the legs of the chair form the base or lower frame, while in the third (Holden) the base or lower frame must be turned ninety degrees to alter the chair from low to high.

I am also aware of the patent to Stevens,

No. 220,258, of 1879, and disclaim all that is shown in it; for while that chair, like mine, consists mainly of a chair-frame and lower frame or base, yet the combination of these two elements is, by means of a front pair of links, much like the front pair in my chair, and an independent frame at the rear, which is wholly unlike anything in my chair.

What I claim is- 1. In a convertible chair, the combination of an upright supporting-frame A, chairframe 13, front and rear legs Z), and front and rear links a a a a the links connecting frames A and B and guiding-frame B in its motions with relation to frame A, all arranged and operating substantially as described.

2. In combination, supporting -frame A, chair-frame 13, links a a a a and frame F, fulerumed at f to the base-frame A and hinged to the chair-frame B, the links connecting frames A and B, and frame F serving as a lever to move frame B with relation to frame A, all arranged and operating substantially as described.

THEODORE \V. \VASIIBIIRN.

Witnesses:

THATCHER L. DUNN, JULIETTE E. SYNYER. 

